Characterization and application of betalain pigments from plants of the Amaranthaceae

Yi Zhong Cai, Mei Sun, Harold Corke*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

204 Scopus citations

Abstract

The colored vegetative tissues of plants in the family Amaranthaceae contain various betalain pigments and are often produced in high biomass, and therefore, attract interest as potential alternatives to the well-known betalains from beet roots. We attempted a comprehensive systematic study, including selection of betalain-producing genotypes and species, extraction, identification and quantification of betalains, determination and evaluation of physicochemical properties and antioxidant activity; and pigment utilization in certain food systems. The results demonstrated high potential for Amaranthus pigments for use as natural food colorants.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)370-376
Number of pages7
JournalTrends in Food Science and Technology
Volume16
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2005
Externally publishedYes

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